half or full duplex audio

[holmes4]

Interesting - I also have Panasonic 5.8GHz phones and had not really noticed this as an issue, but it might explain some things...

[usa2k]

The day before this discussion started, I was talking to my Brother In-law in OH (and I am in MI.) We experienced that half duplex effect and thought it could be the cheap phone he used. I never did ask what kind of phone it was though. At the time, he had called my cell phone (AT&T).

Call Reference ID: 508b90b5-2241db7e@75.13.38.39

I called him back today from my VOIPo account a moment ago to the Reseller account he was helping me test, and these two phones had perfect duplex operation. That leaves me thinking that some codec issue created the half duplex effect.

Call Reference ID: e4d9a638-5e912206@192.168.0.73

My phone BTW is a UNIDEN 2-Line 5.8 Ghz TRU 9466.
Our calls always feel like full duplex from the VOIPo PAP2T/Uniden.

[usa2k]

FWIW from an ATA configuration perspective ....

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r222...conversations-

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r224...simultaneously

These references seem to key in on Echo Suppression on the ATA:

Re: Distorted sound when talking simultaneously

I'd say we're probably talking about an issue of perception here. Echo suppression is essentially just a speech gated automatic partial half-duplex. I say partial, because it doesn't fully turn off speech in the opposite direction; it just reduces its level by some 30 dB. This enforced half duplex lasts for some time delay after the speech ends, which coincides with the 1 to 2 seconds of "distortion" that you describe. It's the only voice feature in ATAs that behaves in this manner. Although it just reduces the volume, but not in and of itself distorts it, you may perhaps be perceiving the unexpected reduced volume as distortion. Technically, though, at the lower level, the speech will be more distorted due to lesser sampling accuracy. Now, if your phone has an AGC feature that amplifies the muted speech back to normal levels, it will of course sound more distorted.

Not to say it is this. Just adding more areas of speculation.
DogFace05 in the above quote is a very savvy person.

[lifespeed]

I have an RCA Dect 6, 2-Line phone, same problem. Had it with Vonage as well as Voipo. Bad thing is, when my wife is talking I can't shut her up because she doesn't hear me (unless she pauses to breath which is rare).

ROTFL!

[lifespeed]

Yes, echo cancellation implemented in an ATA with an analog phone is a likely culprit. The silver bullet solution is to switch to a real IP phone (plugs into ethernet) instead of an ATA. See my post here on the same subject.